EARLY ARRIVAL

Had a really early arrival at the farm, I first spotted this male Redstart on the 31st March but he wouldn't come down from where he was singing high up in the canopy. My second visit proved more fruitful with this record shot of the bird. This might be my earliest record of Redstart.

We have usually good numbers of Redstarts at the farm so hopefully this will be the first of many.

male redstart

 There's a few pair of Stonechats about with this male flying from post to post  going further away from me as I was trying to get closer to him.

male stonechat

Not very good news on the Tawny owls, although we've had breeding owls up here for the last few years this year seems to have drawn a blank. I've heard both adults calling over the last few weeks but both new boxes we've put up seem to have been rejected by the owls. The box they've bred in over the last few years is falling apart and has got twigs and leaves sticking out of the entrance hole which tells me the squirrels have moved in. I'll check all three boxes near the end of April to see if they have gone late this year but as Tawny's are very early breeders and should be at least on eggs by now I'm not that optimistic.

one of the boxes rejected by the tawny owls

This Nuthatch I think has chosen this box in which to build its nest this year. I watched as it was going in and out of this box and pecking at the entrance hole.

has this nuthatch chosen this box?

The regular breeding birds at the farm are starting to show, this handsome male Linnet came into the feeders a couple of days ago.

male Linnet

The Pied Wagtails have paired up and are coming in regularly.

pied wagtail

 And finally this Carrion Crows nest has been used by our resident covids for the last three years on the bounce, they must like it there. You can just make out the sitting female if you look at the top ridge of the nest. 

carrion crows nest

carrion crow

Spring and the new breeding season is a great time of year. I visited Llandegfedd Reservoir on Easter Sunday so I'll bring you my findings from there next time. Thanks for stopping by and I'll catch you soon.